True Tracks - Spring 2003

When "The Hunted" hits movie theaters nationwide on March 14,
Tom Brown, Jr. can bask in the knowledge that he played an integral part
in making this the most authen­tic film ever about tracking and sur­vival.

"The Hunted," a Paramount Pictures release, is about a top
spe­cial-forces assassin (played by Benicio Del Toro) gone amok. His
mentor, played by Tommy Lee Jones (a Tom Brown-like character), is brought
out of retirement to help locate and capture his former expert student.
The film is directed by William Friedkin ("The Exorcist,"
"To Live and Die in L.A."). It is rated R for strong bloody
violence and some language.

Brown spent nearly a year in the Pacific Northwest working as a
Technical Advisor to Friedkin.

"Billy and I go back many years," noted Brown.
"Initially he wanted to make a movie about my life - that's how we
met."

Indeed, Friedkin had been dreaming of making a film like "The
Hunted" ever since he formed a friendship with Brown, but was con­cerned
it would be too much like a documentary of Brown. And then he read a
script by David and Peter Griffiths about a trained, Delta Force-style
assassin who becomes a serial killer. That script became the basis for
"The Hunted," which was rewrit­ten to focus more on the inner
and outer conflicts of the Jones and Del Toro characters. Friedkin then
per­sonally recruited Brown to train the actors and serve as a consultant
throughout the shoot.

"The basis for the movie is very similar to a tracking case I had
once been on," said Brown. "At first, I helped with the creating
of the story idea. And then I was brought on as a Technical Advisor and
from there it branched out, from assisting with things like character
development, dialogue, set decorations, special effects and of course,
skills training.

I was generally always next to Billy during shooting and that's because
he wanted a certain authenticity that I brought to the movie. Billy's a
per­fectionist. I've always liked that about him. He's constantly
striving to make a story as authentic as humanly possible."

The movie is action-packed with excitement, but does not follow the
usual shoot 'em up theory. Instead, the film focuses on survival tactics
and features knives, not guns, as the weapons of choice.

In fact, the flint and steel knives used in the movie were cast in hard
rubber from originals that Brown manufactured for fight scenes between
Jones and Del Toro. Interestingly, an all-purpose knife designed by Brown
that is currently for sale through The Tracker School, is prominently
showcased in the movie.

Brown spent a great deal of time with both Jones and Del Toro, training
them for their parts.

"Tommy Lee has a ranch down in Texas,” said Brown, who was
assist­ed in the training by Tracker School instructor Bill McConnell.
"There wasn't much training I had to do with him because he's already
a hunter and good in the outdoors. Benicio was less experienced, but at
the same time extremely easy to train. He spends a lot of time early in
the movie in natural camouflage - mud, leaves, sticks. The camouflage was
so good that we had to lighten it up so the cameras could see him."

If you had only one tool at your fingertips while out in the
wilder­ness - or anywhere for that matter - would you choose a knife, an
axe or a saw?

How about all three? And more. Tom Brown, Jr. has unveiled what he
believes to be the perfect tool for anyone wishing to be pre­pared for a
survival situation or for hunters who simply want to have a multipurpose
tool on hand that can handle any situation.

The Tracker Knife has already made it to Hollywood. "The
Hunted," which debuts on March 14, 2003, is based loosely on an
episode of Tom's life. The Tracker Knife is carried and used by the
antagonist, played by Benicio Del Toro.

Made of the finest materials and with exquisite craftsmanship, the
Tracker Knife is a tool that will last generations. The Tracker Knife can
perform multiple func­tions, with each area of the knife made to execute
several functions with ease. There is a chopping blade, a carving blade, a
saw blade, and a pounding area.

The Tracker Knife can chop, split, carve, score, scrape, saw, notch,
and drill wood, bone, and even antler. It can be used to gut and skin an
animal, then scrape the hide. It can be lashed to a pole for use as a
spear, and it can be thrown much like a toma­hawk. It is an extremely
versatile

and useful knife.

"I wanted a knife that is useful, yet easy to handle," says
Brown. "The Tracker Knife brings all the qualities that are important
to me together for a tool that is ready and able to handle any survival
sit­uation."

The Tracker Knife is manufac­tured in accordance with the strict
design specifications established by Brown, by the leading manu­facturer
of tactical knives, TOPS USA, whose knives are favored by U.S. Special
Operations forces. The knife is made of 1095 high-carbon steel, 1/4"
thick. It is water jet cut and hand ground, then heat-treated followed by
cryo treatment to create a knife with outstanding edge holding
capabili­ties and hardness. It is then fin­ished with a baked on epoxy
coat­ing to make it impervious to the elements and finally, laser cut
with the Tracker School logo and Brown's signature. The result is a knife
that meets the most demand­ing expectations.

The Tracker Knife retails for $299 (including choice of specially
designed sheaths). For further information about the Tracker Knife or to
order, please call (908) 479-4681 or visit the Tracker
School website.

Tracker
School approaches 25th Anniversary
By Dan Hirshberg

Can you believe it, The Tracker School turns 25 this April!

When the school first started, the classes were in Tom's back­yard.
Eventually the school found a home on a farm in the tiny ham­let of
Asbury (Warren County), N.J. -- not the present site, which is actually in
nearby Bethlehem Township (Hunterdon County), just across the river.

I recently ran into a student who attended one of the very first
Standard classes in Asbury and also an Advanced Standard in the Pine
Barrens.

As Ronny remembers it, it was the early fall of 1978 and The Tracker
School had just barely been born. Tom had just recently attained national
recognition with the publication of his book, The Tracker, and a condensed
article in The Reader's Digest.

Ronny, a 19-year old working and living in Europe at the time, came
home for a visit. His mother showed him the Reader's Digest article and
within hours, he made contact with the fledgling Tracker School. The
native of the Midwest signed up for two late fall classes, a Standard
course that would be taught on a farm in Asbury, N.J. and an Advanced
Standard sched­uled for the Pine Barrens.

Ronny had no idea at the time that he was in one of the first
"official" classes of The tracker School He remembered that
there were only about 12 students in each of his classes and Tom was the
only instructor!

In a recent visit to the present Asbury farm, Ronny recalled those two
classes vividly.

"I remember one instance when we worked on stalking skills in the
barn," said Ronny. “I worked my way across some beams and jumped
down by this guy who was hiding. He never heard me coming. Another time in
the Pine Barrens we held a race by running on 4-foot high poles sticking
out of the ground. Tom said we couldn't touch the ground. It came down to
me and this other guy and I won by diving at the last pole. Tom just shook
his head. But I won. I also remember doing a lot of tracking."

Since that inaugural year, The Tracker School's classes have grown by
leaps and bounds, with thousands of students each year passing through its
pro­gram. The school now holds classes in California and Florida, as well
as New Jersey, and has a community-based non-profit entity, Children of
the Earth Foundation, that offers programs to schools, community groups
and organizations.

Happy 25th Anniversary Tracker School!

(Were you a student prior to 1980? If so, please send us your
remembrances of those days. Mail them to True Tracks, c/o The Tracker
School, PO Box 173, Asbury, N.J. 0880.; We may use some of your memories
in a future edition of True Tracks).